I'm going to do something a little different with monthly book posts this year. I'm thinking I'll do the best book(s) I've read for the last month and the most anticipated new book(s) I'm looking forward to reading this month. Plural books because I may end up with one mystery, one fantasy, one science fiction, etc. Way too tough to choose otherwise. lol

So the best books I read in December were 1) David Weber's Hell Hath No Fury - science fiction genre. This is the second book in his multiverse series written with Linda Evans. The civilization of Aracana has been exploring the Portals leading to parallel worlds for 200 years. Armed with their magical spells and crossbows, they have traveled hundreds of thousands of miles and many, many worlds away from their home universe when the unthinkable happens: they meet another civilization also exploring the portals. Neither side knows who fired the first shot nor do they understand each others technology or how far each side is from reinforcements.I so want the third book to read. He left a cliffhanger of an ending and I want to know how she gets out of it!

2) Lisa Lutz's Spellman series The Spellman Files, Curse of the Spellmans, Revenge of the Spellmans, The Spellmans' Strike Back - mystery genre. Meet the Spellmans - Mom and Dad own and operate their own private investigation firm and their offspring are on the payroll. The main character is the daughter, 28-year-old Isabel Spellman, who started with the firm when she was 12. They're hilarious and for once, not murder mysteries. For instance, Izzy has a new boyfriend and the parents want to know who he is. Asking is too easy so they follow her. And the easiest way to follow someone at night is to break their taillight! Izzy comes out of her parents house and sees her broken taillight, goes to the garage and comes back with a hammer. After all, the easiest way to spot someone tailing you is if they only have one headlight *smash* I hear they may make a movie out of this series, or they are, or did...By the way, I happen to disagree about the broken taillight - it's too easy for the person driving to notice that someone broke their taillight. Instead, drill a small hole in the middle of the lens. It's less noticeable by the driver than a broken one but the light escaping from the hole makes it easy to tail. No, I am not a stalker, I think I picked up that tip from the Nameless Detective series. :)

The most anticipated book coming in Jan. is The Sentry by Robert Crais - mystery genre. I think it's #14 in his Elvis Cole/Joe Pike series, private investigators in southern Cali.

I'm currently on the last Martha's Vineyard book by Cynthia Riggs and have a few series of books from the Library to choose from next before my books arrive: 1)Nancy Bush, local author!!! 3 books about Jane Kelly, a PI on a par with Stephanie Plum (Janet Evanovich)2)Sharon Kahn, culinary mystery!!! 6 books about Ruby, a rabbi's wife and baker in Eternal, Texas3)D. R. Meredith, mystery reading group!!! 5 books about a Book club.4) two other first books in series, another local author about a fictitious zoo and a computer mystery.Tough choices but I'm only on the 4th chapter so I've got time to decide! Which series sounds better to you?

Yes, but it sounds like they are going to have a problem soon. The authors made it sound like the Arcanans magic has a limit of how far from their home universe they can use it. It seems to be taking more and more magical power to do the simplest things the farther they get from their home universe. Or the closer they get to a technological society that has no concept of magic - something that blocks it maybe? Either way, it'll be interesting to see where they take it.

I doubt too many people ever think about someone tailing them - yes, I am strange! haha Not to mention that GPS units cost money and do you just happen to have one handy when you weren't expecting to tail someone? You could probably punch a hole in a lens pretty quick with an awl or icepick. Then again, I don't happen to store either one of those in my car! haha Maybe a philips screwdriver would work...